YBSA Monthly Report May, 2013
YBSA Monthly Report
May, 2013
The story about a shortage of water in the Upper Klamath Basin mirrors the possibility of what could happen in the Yakima Basin with insufficient storage. With drought looming, the State of Oregon is preparing for the likelihood that it will have to shut off irrigation access for many of the 200 cattle ranchers and hay farmers in the upper Klamath Basin as the Klamath Tribes take control of senior water rights in the region for the first time in a century. The State of Oregon recognized the findings of the legal process known as adjudication that gave tribes the most senior water rights the majority of the water flowing into Upper Klamath Lake dating to time immemorial.
Use the link below to read the complete article.
http://www.registerguard.com/rg/news/local/29840117-75/klamath-tribes-upper-rights-basin.html.csp
Also see the following for added information of the issue.
http://ybsa.org/climate-change/
In the archives choose the Reliability of Water Supply for Yakima Basin and Solving the Water shortage in the Yakima Basin links on the page.
Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.
YBSA Monthly Report April, 2013
Snowpack: The snowpack in the Cascade Mountains above the Yakima Basin is the sixth reservoir that provides water for the Basin. Without adequate snow, water needs will not be met. Without adequate storage every year, water needed for fish and agriculture is threatened.
According to the Snotel Sites Report, the May 1st snowpack above 3400 feet in the upper basin snow water equivalent was 97% and at elevations in the lower basin, above 4400 feet snow water was 102% of average.
The teacup diagram displayed below shows the Reservoir storage available as of May 1st.
Request to BOR: was sent to the Bureau of Reclamation office in Yakima requesting a timeline showing when major work items would be completed on the storage elements Wymer Reservoir and Bumping Lake Enlargement. The letter read as follows:
The February 2013, “Project Activity Report” for the Yakima River Basin Integrated Resource Management Plan indicates that geological and seismic activities will be initiated at the proposed Bumping Lake Enlargement and Wymer Projects this spring and summer. We would appreciate timelines showing the major work items to be accomplished and the points at which decisions can be made as to the stability and technical feasibility of these sites to construct the dams, reservoirs, and ancillary facilities that are proposed.
This information would be appreciated by April 18, 2013.
YBSA Monthly Report March, 2013
YBSA Monthly Report
March, 2013
Work Group Subjects: The following subjects were presented at the March 13th Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Work Group:
- Targeted Watershed Protection and Enhancement. Protection of over 200,000 acres of forest and shrub steppe. The purchase of 46,000 acres of privately held land in the Teanaway River Valley would protect unique and critical habitat for numerous species. The Work Group is proposing $10.5 million for acquisition of watershed lands.
- Implementation update. The current capital budget proposal for the 2013-2015 biennium would allocate $23.6 million for plan implementation. The Yakima Basin stakeholders are proposing an additional $21.4 million for a total 2013-2015 appropriation of $45 million. The increase would allow for accelerated implementation of the Integrated Plan, and fund the acquisition of the highest priority 45,000 acre Teanaway property. Members of the Work group will travel to Washington DC to request matching federal funds.
- Monies available for the current biennium to begin early actions on the Integrated Plan in the Washington State Department of Ecology’s includes habitat ($975,000), Keechelus to Kachees Pipeline ($2,500,000), preliminary environmental, geology and feasibility level designs for Bumping and Wymer ($1,250,000). Federal funding available consists of money for fish passage at Cle Elum Reservoir ($700,000) and Kachess inactive storage ($450,000).
- Funding is available for drilling at the sites of the proposed new Bumping and Wymer Dams. The Wymer Dam technical review project will be completed by the Bureau of Reclamation and Department of Ecology. The review will include measuring water temperature that will be returned to the Yakima River when needed and the cost of piping water from the proposed Wymer Reservoir to the Roza Canal.
YBSA Position Stated: Sid Morrison (YBSA) started the Work Group roundtable discussion by stating support for the Plan, but the Integrated Plan needs to emphasize storage. Storage is needed to complete the Integrated Plan. YBSA’s position paper was distributed (see www.ybsa.org). There were no comments by members of the Work Group.
YBSA met with Congressman Doc Hastings. Representative Hastings again stated storage needs to be the number one priority in the Plan because storage has been the most difficult to solve for generations.
Go to www.ybsa.org for full report and updated information.
YBSA Monthly Report February, 2013
YBSA Monthly Report
February, 2013
Testimony at House & Senate: YBSA attended and testified at the House and Senate Hearings on the proposed legislation authorizing the Yakima River Basin Water Resource Management Plan. The concept of the Integrated Plan is admirable, but to address the historic and future water needs in the Yakima Basin and the effects of climate change a large amount of storage is needed to prevent future droughts (see article at http://news.yahoo.com/climate-contradiction-less-snow-more-blizzards-161708650.html). The adequacy and reliability of the storage elements will not meet the long-term instream and out-of-stream needs.
Evaluate Bumping Lake Enlargement First: Bumping Lake Enlargement is the largest proposed new storage projects within the Basin and without the additional stored water the Yakima Basin will continue to be short of its needed water. During the last three decades the Bumping Lake Project has failed to be developed due to insufficient drainage area, flooding old growth timber and habitat, reduction in bull trout habitat, and its location near the designated wilderness area. The first project to be evaluated by the Department of Ecology should be “can Bumping Lake Enlargement be completed”. Without the new water we will continue to create problems for fish and agriculture as we have for the last twenty plus years.
Consider Columbia River Water: Wind powered pumped storage of Columbia River water should be considered with the new benefits such as fish ladders, Sockeye returns, and increased agricultural values as identified in the Integrated Plan. The storage portion of the Integrated Plan includes an evaluation of an interbasin transfer of water from the Columbia River.
Possible Eastern Oregon Use of Columbia River Water: Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and a task force comprised of farmers, environmentalists, and tribal interests signed a deal to pursue diverting more Columbia River water in the winter which is less detrimental to fish for agricultural use in Eastern Oregon (see article at http://www.keprtv.com/politics/Needs-of-farmers-salmon-sought-with-Columbia-River-water-deal-191482991.html). The Yakima Basin also needs and additional source of water.
Go to www.ybsa.org for full report and updated information
YBSA Monthly Report January, 2013
YBSA Monthly Report
January, 2013
Testimony on HB1196: Yakima Basin Storage Alliance testified at the work session held by the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on HB1196.
The Yakima Basin depends on the Yakima River for our economy, the environment and water needs. It’s difficult to support HB1196 as written because of the uncertainty of an adequate water supply for the Yakima Basin at a cost of $3 to $5 billion.
We support the concept but need to obtain more storage as soon as possible and all storage projects should be evaluated concurrently. If any of the proposed storage projects are not completed the Yakima River Basin will again be without sufficient water to meet its instream and out-of-stream needs.
The following is part of the presentation made by Yakima Basin Storage Alliance at the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee work session:
The Yakima Basin Storage Alliance (YBSA) is a local “grassroots organization” formed to raise the awareness of the dependence of our Yakima River Basin economy and environment on a reliable surface water supply and the needs for additional stored water. YBSA is in a unique position in the Workgroup not being affiliated with any specific entity, agency or interest group. YBSA is focused solely on the challenge of an adequate and reliable water supply for the future in concert with our environmental and cultural values.
YBSA supports the Integrated Plan concept, but we are deeply concerned with the adequacy and reliability of the surface storage element to meet long-term instream and out-of-stream water needs.
The Integrated Plan purports to restore sockeye salmon to the Yakima River Basin by providing fish passage to streams above the five Yakima Project storage dams inaccessible to adult spawning. Adult salmon are projected to range from 140,000 to 310,000 at the mouth of the Yakima River facing a summer in-basin migration of 150 to 215 miles upstream to the spawning grounds when peak irrigation diversions are occurring.
- How do we know the instream flows are sufficient to improve water quality problems of temperature, phosphorous, and other parameters critical to anadromous fish migration and reproduction? This is particularly critical to adult sockeye and the effects of thermal blocks in the river during the summer migration.
Three entities have the majority of the junior water rights and will participate in the dry-year supplemental irrigation water supply from the Integrated Plan. These are the Kittitas Reclamation District, Roza Irrigation District, and Wapato Irrigation Project on the Yakama Indian Reservation. The water supply of these entities is significantly impacted in dry years when proration of the available irrigation is necessary. The Integrated Plan attempts to improve their junior supply to the extent needed to provide a 70 percent supply in dry years.
Recent climate change studies, however, indicate that watersheds like the Yakima River Basin dominated by fall rain and spring snowmelt will be most affected by climate change. To assess the impact on the Integrated Plan three climate scenarios were evaluated; less adverse, moderately adverse, and more adverse.
- How will the dry-year proratable irrigation water needs of a 70 percent supply be met when operation studies show the following for two of the three climate change scenarios: moderately adverse scenario of 14 drought years our of 25 years with 70 percent criteria violated in the every dry-year; and most adverse scenario of 24 dry years out of 25 years with the 70 percent criteria violated in 22 of these years?
- What assurance do we have that after incurring significant capital investments the conflict among instream uses with time immemorial senior Treaty rights will not subordinate junior out-of-stream rights in dry years?
One of the three projects of the water storage element is the construction of a new dam on the Bumping River about one-mile downstream of the existing dam. The numerous reports gathering dust in the bookcases of Reclamation offices are testimony to the failed efforts to bring an enlarged reservoir on-line since about 1950.
- In view of the long history of rejection of an enlarged Bumping Lake Reservoir why do we insist on going down the same path once again knowing full well the current opposition from some of the environmental groups and others?
- How can we precede with construction of any of the storage projects until the status of an enlarged Bumping Lake Reservoir is known?
- Taking into consideration the above, why is the assessment of an inter-basin transfer from the Columbia River which is a potential option in the Integrated Plan “if conditions warrant” being deferred? It seems prudent its viability and conjunctive operation be determined prior to authorization of an Integrated Plan.
YBSA Monthly Report December, 2012
YBSA Monthly Report
December, 2012
Governor’s Budget Policy Brief: Governor Chris Gregoire’s 2013 Budget Policy Brief-Managing Water in theYakimaBasin: The activities recommended for funding in the capital budget are:
Complete early action water supply projects ($20.9 million)
The Department of Ecology will restore main stem and tributary habitat, construct fish passage facilities, divert power to support salmon migration, increase Lake Cle Elum storage, pump water into reservoirs to improve in-stream flows, enlarge Bumping Lake, construct a pipeline to connect Lake Keechelus and Lake Kachess, modify the Lake Kachess reservoir and create a groundwater infiltration system.
Acquire water rights ($2.0 million)
The Department of Ecology will purchase existing senior water rights to provide seed water for establishing and operating basin water banks. Water banking is a mechanism used to facilitate legal transfer and market exchange of various types of surface, groundwater and storage entitlements. Setting up these banks will reduce barriers to completing water transfers and making water available for new uses.
Go to www.ybsa.org for full report and updated information.
YBSA wishes everyone a happy and prosperous New Year!
YBSA Monthly Report November, 2012
YBSA Monthly Report
November, 2012
Integrated Plan: The Integrated Plan is a comprehensive program that includes seven elements and sustainable water resources for instream (salmon and steelhead) and out-of-stream (irrigation and municipal/domestic) water needs. The seven elements consist of a surface water storage element and six complementary elements.
Not Enough Water for Yakima Basin: The surface water storage elements may provide some additional water in the future but may not secure enough water in theYakimaBasin for the next 100 years.
Natural Resources Conservation Service Report: The following report was published by the Natural Resources Conservation Service Washington Snow Survey Program:
WashingtonFall Weather Roundup and Winter Outlook for Water-Year 2013
After a never ending spring, summer finally arrived with a vengeance. What was dreary and drizzly turned seemingly instantly into hot and dry. Record dryness was achieved at a number of locations around the state this summer which led to an exhausting fire season for those folks charged with protecting out natural resources. Reportedly “the fires won’t go out until it rains or snows” is the current mantra. Grouse CampSNOTELsite located in the NanumCreekBasinnear Ellensburg was caught in the TableMountainfire on September 19th. See link for pictures:
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/WA/Home/Snow/GROUSE%20CAMP%20SNOTEL.pdf
Even with rainfall totaling no more than 25% of normal during August & September (less in some locations) we still ended water-year 2012 at 108% of average statewide.
For the last two years we have been locked into the La Nina cycle which generally means cooler and wetter, both of which pretty much played out with above average mountain snowpack. But this year La Nina has collapsed and the tropical Pacific has warmed, leaning toward a more Enso neutral winter with tendencies toward an El Nino.
El Nino years tend to produce Northwest winters that are warmer than normal, drier than normal, with less than normal mountain snowpack and a lower probability of lowland snow. They tend to be less stormy here, with more of the action going intoCalifornia.
The latest Climate Prediction Center guidance shows both early and late winter predictions to be 30-40% dryer than normal however temperature forecasts could go either way which will be the deciding factor on mountain snowpack levels.
YBSA Monthly Report October, 2012
YBSA Monthly Report
October, 2012
Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan: The following is a portion of the Executive Summary of the Integrated Plan:
The goals of the Integrated Plan are to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife habitat; provide increased operational flexibility to manage instream flows to meet ecological objectives, and improve the reliability of the water supply for irrigation, municipal supply and domestic uses. A Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) analyzing broad effects of the Integrated Plan on environmental resources was issued in 2012 (Reclamation and Ecology 2012d).
Funding for the projects that make up the Integrated Plan are expected to be cost shared among a wide range of partners. Even though this Study utilizes traditional economic tools and analyses (Principles and Guidelines), the Integrated Plan is not intended to be funded as a typical Reclamation project. It is anticipated that the State ofWashingtonwould continue to be a cost-share partner in funding implementation of many of the elements of the Integrated Plan, as well as local governments and other parties. At this time, however, specific cost-sharing provisions between local, State, Federal governments, as well as other partners, have not been determined.
The Integrated Plan includes seven elements: 1) reservoir fish passage; 2) structural and operational changes to existing facilities; 3) surface water storage; 4) groundwater storage; 5) habitat/watershed protection and enhancement; 6) enhanced water conservation; and 7) market reallocation. It addresses current water resource and habitat problems, while providing an adaptive management framework to address potential future changes in water needs or hydrology, including potential climate change effects.
Capital costs of the Integrated Plan are estimated to be between $3.2 and $5.4 billion, with a most probable cost estimate of approximately $4.2 billion, expressed in 2012 dollars. These costs include permitting, design, environmental analyses, construction of infrastructure projects, implementation of programmatic activities, and environmental mitigation. The range was developed using cost-risk assessment to consider uncertainty and risk factors for each of the six largest projects to generate probabilistic estimates of construction costs. Additional costs of approximately $140 million are identified for interest during construction. Annual Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs are expected to be approximately $12 million in 2012 dollars once all projects and programs from the Integrated Plan are fully operational.
For the complete summary go to : http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/yrbwep/2011integratedplan/plan/framework.pdf
Sockeye Salmon Run Biggest Ever by Jim Fossett: If you cast aside the inconvenient fact that monitoring sockeye salmon runs is not an exact science and entertain talk around town it’s clear locals visiting Salmon La Sac Highway’s French Cabin Creek Bridge, Cooper Lake Bridge and Salmon La Sac Bridge are seeing more spawning salmon than ever before.
“We trucked-in 10,000 to Lake Cle Elum this summer,” said Yakama Nation fish passage biologist Brian Saluskin, “the largest load since 2009 when we started the program with 1,000 fish. That increased to 2,500 in 2010 and jumped to 4,100 in 2011.”
Saluskin pointed out a survey conducted last year revealed 3,400 females spawned along the river bottom above Lake Cle Elum. This year, a September report put the number at 1,500 and climbing.
“The brighter ones are fresh from the lake. The darker ones, the ones that look more beat up, have been up river longer. AtCooperBridgeyou’re going to see a lot of four-year-olds mixed with a few five-year-olds.”
The sockeye salmon run for next year is projected as very minimal, which would impact how many Saluskin and his crew can truck to Lake Cle Elum from Priest Rapids Dam on theColumbia River, where all the salmon he’s fetched for the program have come from.
We’re probably looking at 1,500 next year for trucking to the lake. But you know how predictions go. Everything could change.
As Saluskin noted, the spawning ritual provided an anomaly this year.
“We found sockeye nests in the shallows nearSpeelyiBeach. Actually, beach –spawners are more prevalent inCanada. They clear off san to a depth where they reach cobble rock and then they cover up their eggs with whatever rock they’re able to use. Obviously, we ask people to leave them alone – alive or dead.”
With the first sockeye run returning from the Pacific in a couple years, the fish will need help. Funding for the approved $81M Cle Elum Dam fish passage hasn’t yet materialized, but Saluskin said his team would be ready to trap and truck them over.
“We sill have hope for the passage,” he said. “As long as there is a demand for water in the valley, there’s hope.”
“There’s always been talk of increasing water storage a Lake Cle Elum. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is suggesting another three feet or so. If they do that, some kind of fish passage has to accompany the project.”
Saluskin said there has been a considerable investment of funds to get thelakeCleElum Dam fish passage through engineering design and environmental impact study phases.
“That represents a lot of work, so they’re not going to just let the project go by the wayside.”
At this writing, a tabletop model of the fish passage proposed for Lake Cle Elum Dam is undergoing rounds of tests in a tank inDenverunder supervision of BOR scientists and engineers.
“The next phase is to build a life-size model and put fish in it to see how they do,” said Saluskin, “and we’ve got another fish passage meeting on the calendar before the end of the year, so the project is still moving forward.”
Story was found in the Northern Kittitas County Tribune Cle Elum, Washington
Don’t Forget to Vote!
YBSA Monthly Report September, 2012
YBSA Monthly Report
September, 2012
H2O For The Next 100 Years: YBSA supports the Integrated Plan because it is the best vehicle to solve our long term water needs. YBSA has been the only advocate for significantly increased water storage for the Integrated Plan. Those reasons include instream flows, irrigation droughts, and climate change.
The Problems At Hand:
- The snow pack we depend on to sustain our current water supplies is receding each year.
- The current Integrated Plan does not include the estimated recession of the snow pack in its current capacity.
- The current plan calls for $5 billion dollars of your money to be spent on a plan that comes up short of water.
What To Expect If The ProposedPlanFallsShort Of Needed Storage:
- A devastating blow to the future of our sustainable resources that support our current economy.
- A massive decrease in jobs.
- The elimination of ability to substantially increase salmon recovery.
- An increase in water litigation.
Sockeye Salmon Runs:
- Inadequate water supply to sustain or enhance the life stages of the Sockeye Salmon.
- Temperature/Sockeye Timing – Sockeye passage can be delayed due to thermal blockage.
- Sockeye suffer pre-spawning stress due to this thermal blockage causing them to release their eggs downstream and reduce reproductive success.
Irrigation Drought Event:
- In the drought years 1992-1994 the irrigation level was as low as 37% of full supply.
- The frequency of severe drought is currently increasing.
- Banks delay refinancing depending on the snow pack report.
- Due to the increase in dry years and the lack of water to supplement the drought during these years it could mean devastating blows to our agriculture, fish, and economy in theYakimaRiver Basin.
Columbia River Water: With time immemorial Treaty Rights of the Yakama Nation for in stream flows to sustain anadromous fisheries being senior to all other water rights, and with climate change having the potential to seriously affect the reliability of in-basin stored water supplies, we are faced with the reality that the Columbia River pump exchange is the only source of “new water” to supplement our over-appropriated Yakima River system.
Central Washington State Fair: YBSA’s booth at the Central Washington State Fair asked the question, “Does the Integrated Plan, which was on display in the booth, provide water for the next 100 years?” The display also provided information on the use of Columbia River water to fulfill the need in theYakimaBasin. Water can be pumped during the time when electricity is generated by wind machines and not used. The water would be used for irrigation purposes which would free up the stored water in theYakimaBasin for fish enhancement including fish ladders at the reservoirs and instream flows needed in the lower 100 miles of theYakima River for returning Sockeye.
Allocation for a Completed Integrated Plan: Preliminary cost and allocation in percentages as presented at the September 26, 2012 Work Group meeting for a completed Integrated Plan are as follows.
- Total Cost $3.520 Billion
- Ecological Restoration 69.3%
- Agricultural Irrigation 20.7%
- M & D Supply 10.0%
YBSA Monthly Report August, 2012
YBSA Monthly Report
August, 2012
Why YBSA Believes More Water is Required for the Integrated Plan: YBSA has been the only advocate for significantly increased water storage for the Integrated Plan (IP). As such we are compelled to explain why. Those reasons include Instream flows, Irrigation droughts, and Climate Change.
Instream Flows
YBSA believes the flows in the lowerYakima Riverwith the IP are inadequate to enhance and sustain the life stages of the andadromous fishery.
Fish production: The increase in fish production from the IP other than sockeye, is very modest given the level of investment. If all the elements of the plan are implemented, annual runs would increase by less than 30,000 springs, summer and fall Chinook, coho, and steelhead.
Sockeye passage can be delayed due to thermal blockage greater than 69°. In 2004 the river water at Prosser reached 70° F on June 18, and did not drop below 70° until September 5. Temperatures exceeded 75° F from June 23 through August 24.
YBSA believes that even though significant conservation will increase instream flows, added volumes are needed to increase functionality, especially in the lower 100 miles of theYakima River.
Storage carryover is the second limiting factor for Sockeye production in the Basin. Higher September reservoir carryover levels would significantly increase Yakima Basin Sockeye habitat and productivity.
Irrigation Drought Events.
The five major reservoirs of the Yakima Project with a total capacity of 1,045,000 acre-feet, store and release water for the purposes of irrigation, fish and wildlife, flood control, and recreation within theYakimaRiver Basin.
A “sixth reservoir” is snowpack in the higher elevations of theYakimaRiver Basin.
TheAcquavella Adjudication Courthas mandated that the rights of the Yakama Nation to instream flows for anadromous fishery are time immemorial and senior to all other water rights within theYakimaRiver Basin.
When the snowpack is low, our water storage is inadequate to supply our needs. In other words the irrigation demand is met in the average and good years, but our carryover is insufficient for drought years in spite of large investments in conservation.
YBSA also believes supplemental irrigation wells, which are again junior water rights and subject to curtailment, are symptomatic of inadequate surface storage.
Reliability of the Water Supply for theYakimaBasin
Background
Beginning in 1995, following the passage of the Act of October 31, 1994 (Title XII), and the instream target flows at Sunnyside and Prosser dams, the total demand placed against the Total Water Supply Available (TWSA) in a normal water year was about 2.7 million acre/feet.
(see www.ybsa.org “Reliability of the Water Supply for theYakimaBasin” document
pages 1-4)
Climate Change
Studies by the University of Washington working with United State Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies using three climate change scenarios, less, moderately, and more adverse spring and summer runoff is expected to decrease (ranging from 12 to 71%) and fall and winter runoff is expected to increase (ranging from 4 to 74%). The shift in runoff quantity and timing would cause significant risks to water supply.
(see www.ybsa.org “Reliability of the Water Supply for theYakimaBasin” document
pages 4-5)
Climate Change Impacts
Total Water Supply Available
Irrigation Proration Level
Insteam Flows
For the Integrated Plan without climate change there are four dry years (1993, 1994, 2001, and 2005). With the climate change scenarios the number of dry years increases, the Total Water Supply Available decreases, and the 70 percent irrigation proration level criteria of the Integrated Plan may not be met in some years as follows:
- Less Adverse: Seven dry years with the irrigation proration level at 70 percent for each year.
- Moderately Adverse: Fourteen dry years and the 70 percent irrigation proration level criteria are violated in every year.
- More Adverse: 24 dry years and the 70 percent irrigation proration criteria is violated in 22 of these years.
(see www.ybsa.org “Reliability of the Water Supply for theYakimaBasin” document
pages 5-7; figures 1 & 2)
Carryover Storage and Reservoir Refill
Table 3 provides a summary of the number of years of the 25 year period (1981-2005) that the three major water storage projects of the IP refill to the indicated capacity.
(see www.ybsa.org “Reliability of the Water Supply for theYakimaBasin” document
page 8; figure 3)
Conclusion
The IP includes a future study of the potential for an interbasin transfer of Columbia River water as a source to meet water supply needs contingent on how theYakimaRiver Basin’s economy develops over time.
On the other hand, the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement indicates that “Reclamation and Ecology with the input from the Workgroup, determined that there was no reasonable certainty that a pump exchange project was environmentally or economically feasible at this time to meet the Purpose and Need”. Consequently, the only water storage projects considered were Wymer Dam and Reservoir, Kachess Reservoir Inactive Storage, and Bumping Lake Enlargement. Ironically these projects are being strongly promoted while their environmental and economic feasibility have yet to be determined.
With the time immemorial Treaty right of the Yakama Nation for instream flows to sustain anadromous fisheries being senior to all other water rights, and with climate change having the potential to seriously affect the reliability of in-basin stored water supplies, we are faced with the reality that a Columbia River pump exchange is the only source of “new water” to supplement our over-appropriated Yakima River system.
The following is an article about theYakimaRiver Basinfrom the Daily Record
See www.ybsa.org.